Air France and Airbus responsible of manslaughter after horror aircraft crash killed 228
This is a breaking news story and is being constantly updated by our reporters as the breaking news story develops
Air France and Airbus were found guilty of corporate manslaughter over the incident(Image: BRAZILIAN NAVY/AFP via Getty Ima)
Air France and Airbus have been found guilty of manslaughter following a plane crash in 2009 which killed 228 people.
The Paris Appeals Court found the airline and aircraft manufacturer guilty of corporate manslaughter over the incident, in which a flight between Rio de Janeiro and Paris crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. A court had previously cleared the companies in April 2023 but they were found guilty after this appeal.
The passenger jet stalled during a storm and plunged into the water, killing all on board. The Airbus A330 disappeared from radars during the storm before its wreckage was found after a long search of 10,000 sq km (3,860 sq miles) of sea floor. The black box was found after months of deep-sea searches in 2011.
All 12 crew members and 216 passengers on board the flight were killed when the plane crashed into the sea from a height of 38,000ft (11,580m), making it the deadliest incident in French aviation history, reports BBC.
Relatives of some of the passengers, which included mainly French, Brazilian and German nationals, gathered at the verdict on Wednesday.
Both companies have been ordered to pay the maximum fine, €225,000 ($261,720; £194,500) each. However, some of the victims’ families said the amount was a token penalty.
Deputy prosecutors said the companies’ behaviour had been “unacceptable” during closing arguments in November, accusing them of “spouting nonsense and pulling arguments out of thin air”.
Airbus and Air France denied the charges. French lawyers could launch further appeals.
This is a breaking news story and is being constantly updated. Please refresh the page regularly with the latest news, pictures and videos.
You can also get email updates on the day’s biggest stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters.
Get all the very best headlines, pictures, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you by following Daily Star every time you see our name.
Follow Daily Star on Android – CLICK HERE
Follow Daily Star on Apple – CLICK HERE
Follow Daily Star on Snapchat – CLICK HERE
You can also sign up for Twitter alerts for breaking news by following @starbreaksnews and follow us @dailystar for all the latest updates.
Keep up-to-date with your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day by following us on Facebook at facebook.com/thedailystar.
